5 most athletic cornerbacks Packers could target in 2021 NFL Draft

Since general manager Brian Gutekunst took over as the Green Bay Packers‘ general manager, the team has targeted elite athletic players at every position across the board. This has led to a mixed bag of draft classes, but Gutekunst’s strategy is clearly defined.

The good news is this has led to selections such as Jaire Alexander, Rashan Gary, A.J. Dillon, Elgton Jenkins and Darnell Savage. The bad news is players such as Josh Jackson, Oren Burks and J’Mon Moore have also been drafted.

Before we move any further, let’s define exactly what an elite athlete is. There’s a nifty website that calculates every draft candidate’s Relative Athletic Score (RAS) based on their reported athletic testing measurements. The score ranges from 0-10 with the higher the number the better the athlete. And anything over 8 is considered an elite athlete.

The Green Bay Packers love to select athletic players in the NFL Draft, and here are the five most athletically-gifted cornerbacks in the 2021 draft.

Despite re-signing Kevin King, it’s safe to say the Packers will target at least one cornerback in this year’s draft. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five most athletic corners while keeping in mind that at least one of them could end up in Green Bay when it’s all said and done.

5. Greg Newsome, Northwestern

Greg Newsome is already a popular target for the Packers in the draft, but it would likely require them trading up in the first round. He registers a 9.66 RAS largely thanks to his elite speed and explosion. He ran a 4.39 40-yard dash while his 10 and 20-yard splits were also elite. His 40-inch vertical leap is also top-notch.

4. Jason Pinnock, Pittsburgh

Dropping down to the middle rounds is Pittsburgh cornerback Jason Pinnock. Pinnock’s 9.77 RAS likely has him smack dab on the Packers’ big board. He has good size for his position with good leaping ability, as both his vertical and broad jumps drew attention to him. His speed is a bit underwhelming, however, with a 4.49 40-yard dash, but he could be worth a mid-round flyer.

3. Trill Williams, Syracuse

Coming in at no. 3 is Trill Williams–a likely Day 3 pick. Williams played at Syracuse for three years and has some interesting upside. His RAS score is 9.86 and that could change some as a few of his times are still unofficial. As of now, his height, weight and bench press stand out above the rest. He also has a good 40-time with a 10-yard split. Don’t be surprised if Green Bay uses one of their Day 3 picks on him.

2. Patrick Surtain II, Alabama

Now we get to the cream of the cornerback crop. Patrick Surtain II would be a huge get for Green Bay and he could be there near the end of the first round. Surtain has an amazing 9.97 RAS and has elite scores nearly across the board. His 40-yard dash time of 4.42 seconds is impressive enough, but when you add in his size, bench press numbers and leaping ability it’s not even fair.

1. Jaycee Horn, South Carolina

At this point, Jaycee Horn has a perfect RAS score of 10.00–one of only three players in the draft. We’ll see if that holds as his times are still unofficial. As it stands now, he has 19 reps on the bench press, a 41.5-inch vertical leap and a 4.39 40-yard dash. Unfortunately, he’ll be gone long before the Packers ever get on the clock.